Water-softening plant.



No. 843,572. A PATENTED FEB. 12, 1907.

A; B. BELLOWS. WATER SOFTENNG PLANT.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.13.1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

m1341572; PATENTE) FEB. 12, 1907.

A. B. BELLoW-s.

WATER' SOPTBMNG PLANT.

APPLICATIONFILED- 13120.13, 1904.

' 4 SHEETS-s112222.

v I'NVYENTOR PATENTED FEB. l2, 1907.

A. B. BBLLoWs.

WATER SOPTENINGKPLANT.

APPLIOATION FILED DEU. 13. 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET s.

FIGA- met faggi; "S qvcmqw No. 843,572. PATENTED PEB. l2, 1907.

A. B. BELLOWS. WATER; SOFTENING PLANT.

APPLIOA-TION FILED DBO. 13. 1 904.,

FIGB- 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WITNESBES: INVNTQR -tional detailed view, the plane WTEFWSQFTENlNG FLNT.

Specification of Letters atent.

Patented Feb. 12, 1907.

Application filed December 13,1904. Serial No. 236,733.

To all nil/mn, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR B. BELLOWS, a citizen of the'United States,lresiding at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of lrennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new anduseful improvements in `vVater-Sor"tening lants, of which improvements the following is a specification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in a Water-softening plant, and has for its object a construction and combination of parts or elements Whereby the materials to be added, as lime and soda, may be accurately proportioned to the amount Vof hard Water to betreated. '.lhe invention is hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

ln the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecilication, Figure l is a vertical section of my improved plant. Fig. 2 is a top-plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a secof section being indicated by the line lll lll, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a similar view on the plane indicated by the line lV 1V, Fig. 2. Figs. 5 and 6 are detailed views illustrating the constructions of Weirs employed in my improved apparatus. Fig. 7 is a sectional view on a plane indicated b T the line Vil Vll, Fig. 6. ll'ig. S is a vertical section of a modilication of a part of my improvement, and Fig. 9 is a plan View of the same.

ln the practice of my invent-ion the supplypipe l is connected by a valvcd pipe 2 to an elevated box or chamber 3, the pipe entering the chamber preferably through the bottom. The supply-pipe is also connected by branches 4 and 5 to chambers or receptacles and 7, in which soda is dissolved, the soda being placed in baskets or boxes 8, vwith perforated 'Walls A valve mechanism is arranged at the ends of the outlets of pipes 4 and 5, such mechanisml being controlled by lloats 9, so as te regulate the height of Water in the receptacles 6 and 7. Each of the receptacles 6 and 7 is connected by branches toa pipe l0, leading to a Weirbox 11, the lloiv of water into this box being regulated by a valve mechanism controlled by the lloat l2. Across the Weir-box is placed a diaphragm or stilling-plate 13, and 1n the outlet side of the box is arranged a Weir preferably of the construction shown in Figs. 6 and 7. This is formed by vertically notching or slotting anadjustable platel4, arranged to move in guides 15, formed on opposite sides of a vertical slot formed in the side Wall of the box 11. rlhis slide or plate is made orF such a length that `when moved u it Will cover, except for its notched or slotted portion, the vertical slot in the side Wall et' the box, as clearly shown in Fig. 6. The

vWalls of the notch in the plate 14 are beveled so as to give an accurate determination of liquid llowing through the notch or Weir. The liquid llowing through this notch or Weir is conducted by a trough 16 to the main discharge-trough 17, as shown in Fig. 2. The Water entering the compartment 3 flows under a stilling-plate 1S and through a Weir, preferably formed as shown in Fig. 5, consisting ol'- a vertical notch or slot formed in a transverse Wall 19,y the lateral dimensions of the notch or Weir being regulated byA adjustable plates 20. After passing lthrough this Weir the Water Hows through a short section y ofthe pipe 2l onto the buckets of a Wheel 22,

revolving the saine and falling into the main trough 17, Where the soda-Water from the pipes 16 is added thereto.

The box or compartment 3 is in communication with iloat boxes or chambers 23, in which are arranged lloats 24 and 25. The i'loat 24 is connected to one endI ol the lever 24, the opposite end thereof being connected to the slide 14, containing theweir for the sotla-uf'ater. As the water in the box 23 will remain at the level of the Water in the box 3, the level of the latter being determined by the weir in the partition 19, the llow of sodawater trom the box 1l will be controlled and regulated by the ilow of hard water through the box 3. The wheel 22 is secured on a shaft 26, on which is mounted a bolt-wheel 27, around which passes a belt 28, carrying buckets 29. The lower portion ot this belt passes around a guide-Wheel 30, arranged at such height relative to the Water inthe receiving-tank A that the buckets will lift purified water from this tank and discharge it into a Weir or regulating box or tank 31.' As shown in Fig. 4, stilling-plates 32 are arranged` transversely of this boX. in the direction of the flow of water, and in a transverse IOO partition 33 is arranged a Weir constructed -as described and shown in Fig. 6. The movable plate or slide 14 of this weir is connected to'one end of alever 34, the opposite end of said lever being connected to the iioat 25, so that the height of the weir ed e is deterl mined by the height of water in t e receiving charged at or near the bottom of the reservoir. The lime and vwater are thoroughly' stirred and mixed together by an agitator consisting of bla'des 39 on a vertical shaft 40, driven by the shaft 26.` Stilling-platesv 55 are arran ed above the agitator, so that there may not e any movement of the iuid at or near the to of the reservoir and .articles of undissolve lime can settle down, leaving the water clear and free from impurities. A` pipe 41, having perforated branches 42, is arran ed at the normal level of water in the tan c or reservoir 37 and is connected tothe trough 16, conducting the soda-water to the main trough.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the amounts of soda-water and lime-water fiowing into the trough 17 will be regulated and determined by the flow of Water through the receiving-chamber 3. The trough 17 is provided along its length with a series ofbaflieplates, which will serve to thorou hly mingle the lime and soda Water With the ard water, and these mingled waters will iow by a pipe 44 down to the bottom of the main or receiving tank A. It is preferred to arrange Within this tank a series of plates or trou hs 45, in

clined toward and connected tot e central discharge-pipe 46, vwhich extends down=tov the bottom of the tank and in line with the sludge-outlet 47. These troughs will serve to receive the sediment or sludgeand discharge it to the central pipe, down which it falls to the oint of discharge.

In lieu o arranging the weirs for the soda and lime waters in slides in the side of a box or tank, as described, they may be formed in the side of a movable box, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. In this construction the water whose flow is to be controlled by the weir is discharged through a valved pipe 48 into a stationary box or tank 49, the inflow of water being controlled by a float 50. This tank is connected by a iexible pipe 51 to a Weir-box 52, adapted to be moved up and down rela-v tive to the receiving-tank 49. To this end the box is arranged between suitable uides, one of which is preferably formed by t e 'side of tank 49 and the other by a post or standard 53. This box is connected to one end of a lever 54, which has its opposite end connected to a iioat in box 23, connected, as before stated,'to receiving box or tank 3. The weir is formed by slotting or notching one Wall of the box 52. As the box is raisedzor lowered by changes of level of water in tank 3 the position of the horizontal edge of the Weir relative to the level of water in the receiving box' or tank is` correspondingly changed. Y

While not necessary, a second or storage tank 61 for containing the purified water maybe connected with the settling-reservoir or main receiving-tank A by a pipe 60, asl The pipe should be sov shown in Fig. 2. connected-fi. e., adjacent to the upper end ofthe tank A-so that only clear or purified water will How into the storage-reservoir.

It is a characteristic of my improvement that the flow of lime and soda is accurately regulated by the adjustment of the weir by and in accordance with changes of flow of water through the receiving-tank 3.

By the term water mixture in the claims Imeana mixture of the water to be treated and the treating liquid.

I claim herein asmy inventionu 1. In water-softening apparatus, a vertically-movable Weir/leaving a notch whose ed s define the outfiowing stream; substantialley as described.

2. In water-softening apparatus, a tank having a movable outlet-Weir provided with a notch whose edges define the outflowing stream, and connections arranged to automatically move the weir according to the sup ly of water as escribed. l

3. In water-softening apparatus, a stationary'tank having a movable Weir at one side thereof over which the water flows out of said tank, said weir having va notch whose edges define the outiiowing stream; substantially as described.

4. In water-softeningapparatus, a stations ary tank having a movable weir at one side thereof over which the water flows out of said tank, said Weir having a notch whose to be treated; substantially edges define the outiiowing stream, and con-v nections arranged to move the Weir vertically proportionately to the supply of Water to e treated; substantially as described.

5. In a water-softening plant, the combination of a hard-watcr-receiving tank, a

treating water-supply, a vertically-movable weir controlling the flow of treating liquid and having a notch whose edges .define the outflowing stream; and means for shifting the Weir by and in accordance with changes of level of water in the receiving-tank; substan- Iially as described.

6. In a Water-softening plant, the combination of a hard-water-recciving tank, a

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shaft operated by the flow of Water from said l tank, a regulating-tank, meansoper'ated by said shaft for raising Water to `said tank, a

vertically-movable Weir controlling the low of liquid'om said tank and having a notch Whose edges 4define the outiowi'ng stream,

v,and means for shifting the Weir in accord- 7 In a Water-softening plant, the combi-"I nation lof a hard-Water-receivlng tank, a receptacle for receiving Water from'said tank, a

` regulating-tank, means operated by the 110W of water from the hard-Water tank for supplying Water to the tank, a reservoir for treatin liquids, a vertically-movable'weir control ln sources of treatin the ilovv of Waterl from the. regulating-tan to said reservoir and havin a notch Whose edges define ,the outtlowing stream, means for shifting the Weir by and in accordance with changes of level of Water in the receiving-tank, an outlet romsaid reservoir at normal level of Water in the reservoir and arranged to discharge into the receptacle substantially as described.

8. In a .Water-softeningplant the combination of a hard-Water-receiving tank, two' liquid, a receptacle arranged to receive t e treating liquid and the Water from the receiving-tank, verticallymovable Weirs controlling the HOW of the treating liquid into said rece tacle and having notches Whose edges`de e' the outflowing stream, and means for shifting said vveirs by and in accordance with the chan es of level of Water in the receiving-tank;su stantially as described.

'9. In a Water-softening plant, the combination of a hard-Water-receiving tank, a receptacle arranged to 'receive Water from said tank, a regulating-tank, means for supplying Water to said tank, a reservoir, a verticallymovable Weir controlling thev ow of Water from the regulating-tank to the reservoir and having a notch whose edges define the outtlowing stream, means for shitin the lWeir by and in accordance with the c ges of level of Water in the receiving-tank, and a connection from the reservoir to the receptacle substantially as described.

10. In a Water-softening plant, the combination of a mixing trough or channel, a supply of hard Water and supplies of treatingy quids connected to the trough, verticallymovable Weirs having notches Whose ed es define the outflowing streams, and means or regulating the iow of treating liquids froml the Weirs roportionatel to the low of hard Water; sugstantially as escribed.

11. 'In a Water-softening plant,.the combination of a mixing trough or channel, a supply of hard Water connected to the trough or channel, supplies oftreating liquids having a common connection to the trough or channel, and-verticallymovable Weirs tor regulating the Villow o'f'treating liquids proportlonately tothe flow of hard Water, said Weirs having stream; substantie'. ly as described.

12.A In Water-softening apparatus, a treating-tank having a supply-pipe 4leadin to A near its bottom and connected to a supp of Water mixture, said pipe being arrange to cause a swirl in the Water in the lowerpart of the tank, a Water-outlet near the to of the tank for treating the Water, and a sti ling device vbetween the level of the Water-outlet and the end of the entering-pipe; substantially as described.

13. In Water-softening apparatus, a treating-tank having a supply-pipe leading t0 near its bottom and connected Witha supiply of Water mixture, said pipe being curve in its lower portion to cause a swirl in the con- `notches Whose ed es detj'ne the outflowing L tained Water in the lovver part of the tank, a

Water-outlet near the top of the tank for the treated Water, and stilling-plates between the level of the water-outlet and the end 'of the entering-pipe; substantially as described.

14. In a Water-softening plant the combination of a mixing trough or channel, a supply of hard Water and one or more supplies of treating liquids connected to the trough or channel, a reservoir and pipe extending from lthe trough or channel to or approximately to the bottom of the reservoir, stilling-plates arranged in the reservoir above the point of discharge of Water into the reservoir, a central tube or pi e extending to or approximately to the ottoni of the reservoir, and inclined troughs having their inner or lower ends connected to the central tube or pipe; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ARTHUR B. BELLOWS. Witnesses:

CHARLES Bannieres, Hamann Baantnx.

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